Rossi Rifleman

I’m looking at a Marlin Levermatic in 256 Win Mag at auction. Not a big fan of the Levermatic, although it has its endearing features. Got me thinking about doing a ROSSI 92 conversion from 357 to 256. Am I nuts?

MAYBE...

...but then when has that stopped any of us?

Is it really any worse than building your own .50 Beowulf?

As I recall the Marlin is magazine fed and would let you use pointy bullets. The only drawback to the 92 would be having to use round or flat nosed bullets.

Make smoke,

Nothing wrong with it.
Ive thought for sometime about the 357/44.
https://press.hornady.com/assets/site/h ... -davis.pdf

I read this thread early this afternoon and got all stirred up. I had heard of it, but I really knew nothing about the ,256 Win Mag. So …. I took away from my day job work time and did a tiny bit of research. Basic load data, brass re-forming (I wasn't even aware it could be so easy to re-form .357 mag to .256 WM), projectile availability (I don't cast), available firearms, etc. Even though they're not identical, the .256WM looks like it could/would be sort of a 25-20 Mag. Having had the hots for getting into the 25-20 for a lot of years, I'm now seeing the modern (well, 1963 is modern- relatively speaking) .256 Win Mag as capable of scratching that long time itch in a big way. I did see the tip from a bit of reading that running well lubed .357 mag brass through a 30 Carbine sizing die first, made a huge difference in the final forming with .256 WM sizing die. Sounds like still the possibility/probability of losing a few pieces of brass, but not much.

I hope to see this venture continue concerning the .256 WM. I may be broke, but I can still dream


jd

Just wondering if you would need a new barrel, or if you could use a barrel liner in the existing barrel?

No nuttier than a 50 Beowulf build, agreed.

Certainly no pointy bullets allowed in the tubular mag, but pointiness just doesn’t seem to provide much improvement in BC with stumpy bullets. And the Marlin mag only holds three rounds. That’s no fun.

Thanks for the education on 357/44!

I’ve seen the 256 described as a modernized 25-20, and it seems an apt description. I had not seen that tip for pre-sizing with a 30 carbine die, thanks!

I think I’m leaning strongly toward a barrel replacement over a barrel liner. There appear to be several potential sources for barrel blanks. I have a good Gunsmith. Working from a blank allows me to play with the contour and the sight mounting.

Have you read this

http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/sho ... ter-Magnum

this guy did a barrel swap and it sounds very involved because of the rossi's unusual threads.


I think that a liner would be ok and is the way that I have thought about doing one. But I want to do it in
30-357. I have already made t he dies and have converted a cylinder for me 30 carbine blackhawk.

Yikes! Liner suddenly looks more appealing.

The Marlin Levermatic that originally piqued my interest in this project hammered down at $850. With Buyer’s Premium & tax, that’s darn near $1,000 out the door. Granted, it was in really nice condition, but still . . .

That puts me in the market for a Rossi 92 in 357 that needs TLC. I attended a small local gun show yesterday, and the only Rossi on display was a new 22 semi-auto. Wish me luck.